Fluid-meter.



T. CHARLTON.

FLUID METER.

APPLIOATION FILED D110. 21, 1910.

1,016,934., Patented Feb. 13,1912.

' 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

wumtoz Wmmas C/zarllfim T. CHARLTON.

FLUID METER.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 21, 1910.

1 16 934 7 Patented Feb. 13,1912

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I avwzwto'o I HI'E T HOMAS CHA1-I,LTON, ,or CHICAGO, rumors.

FFTCE FLUID-METER:

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Specification of Letters Patent Patented-Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed December 21, 1910. Serial No. 598,614 1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS CHARLTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State v the rotary type particularly adapted to the measuring of water. \Vhile intended for the particular use stated. however, it will be apparent upon an understanding of my inventionthat itmay be used in other connections and in other situations.

I have aimed by my invention to produce an accurate meter proof against fraudulent manipulation and which atthe same time is proof against disturbing, operating and weather conditions and yet is still a meter simple, durable and cheap in construction.

I show in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of myinvention.

Of the drawipgs:Figure1 is a central vertical section of the meter of my invention. Fig.2 is an elevation of the rotary elementof this meter. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is avertical section of the complemental stationary elementof the meter. Fig.5 is a top plan view of the element shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a central transverse section through the inlet andoutlet openings of 'the meter on line- 66 of Fig. 1. Fig, 7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the casing of the meter and the sealing means combined therewith to prevent tampering with the registering mechanism. Fig.8 is a detail plan view of the intermediate train of gearing which transmits movement from the rotor to the registering mechanism, the shaft of the primary wheel of this train of gearing being .shown in section. Fig. 9 is a side view of Fig. 1 showing discharge passage ways of the meter.

Referring to the drawings the main body casing of the meter is designated 10. This casing, as shown, is cast in one'piece. It is provided with an inlet opening 11, an out- 13 of somewhat larger size in this case,

.throughwhich the parts of the meter may be inserted and removed. Between the inlet opening and the outlet opening-12 is a chamber 14in which the measuring device let opening 12, and an additional opening is located. This measuring device consists of fixed and rotary members 15 and ,16, respectively, preferably cylindrical in shape as is also the chamber in which they are placed.

The fixed member 15 is of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Its main body fits closely within the chamber 14, and the interior surface of the main body is'spirally fluted,

the flutes being open ended, as clear] shown in Figs. 4, .5 and 6. These flutes ave allthe same general angle with respect to the fixed element 15 and extend from its top to its bottom. At the top the member 15 is provided with several upwardly projecting arms 17. The casingwall'is spaced from these arms and an eccentric chamber thereby formed, the largest part of which is toward the outlet opening (see Fig. 10). The bottom of the fixed member rests onaremovable seat member 18 fitting closely with in the bottom of the chamber 14 and against the shoulder 19 at the end of'that chamber. The arms'17 project up beyond the outlet opening 12 and are engaged by an upper by,the upper and lower bearings 23 and 24. I

The lower bearing 23 is constituted by a bearing post 25 projecting upwardly from the center of a spider 26 seated centrally of a central opening 27 in the seat member 18. The rotor is centrally bored at 29 to fit this post. The upper bearing-is constituted by a central journal 28 formedin the bear- .ing member 20. and the pintle-36 .of the rotor. The exterior surface ofthe rotor is aud t-he bottom of the rotor is adapted, un-

der certain conditions, to rest upon this seat and close the opening 27. is made ho low, its weight being made substantially qual to the weight of the water it displaces, so that it is substantially floating and may be moved up or down to open or close the opening 27. I shall term this rotor. a floating rotor and the .valve connected with it a floating check valve.

It will be noted that the rotor is hollow and water tight, the inner portions of its body being cored. This serves a double function. First, it gives to the rotor the proper weight as compared with the water displaced so that it may be floated, as above defined, and second, it renders the rotor laterally compressible. Therefore, should the water within the meter -freeze, the meter will not be damaged by expansion which takes place when the water freezes.

Below the measuring device on the inlet side of the meter is'a trap chamber 33, positioned as is common, to trap a portion of the fluid flowing through the meter and to receive all of the foreign matter, which by movement of the fluid or by its weight, is carried to the bottom of they chamber. A clean-out opening 33 is. provided for the chamber 33, and preferably is closed in the manner shown in the drawings by means of a cover plate 33 held in place by means of a screw bolt 33 which engages with an interior element 33 A nut 33 is threaded upon this bolt in order to draw the cover element 33 and the element 33 intoclose contact with the opposite walls of the cas-- ing about the opening and thus close the gpen'ing. When the closure is of the type escribed theclean-out opening-is, as shown in Fig.9, preferably elongated so'that the element 33 by being properly turned may ion 38 on the shaft40 ,of an intermediate ,train of gearing 41.which transmits move-.

ment of the rotor through the shaft 42 to theregistering train of dials 43. The inter- The rotor 13. All of the parts of the meter are confined within and held in their relative operative positions by meansof a single securing I p.er end of this collar is internally flanged mediate train of gearing 41 instead of being in the chamber of the measuring device in the-path of the fluid through the meter is placed 'inthe' chamber 22 beyond the wall formed by the head 21 of the bearing mem- 7 ber 20. Thus the gears are not subject to the wearing action of the fluid, and dirt and grit is prevented from engaging them.

A wall 44 in the shape of a closing disk seated in the body casing across the top 13 her 22 from a chamber 46 containing the registering dials 43, and formed by the dial casing 47 provided with the usual glass 48 at its top and a lower laterally projecting flange 49 at its bottom substantially of the diameter 'ofthe wall 44. Adjacent the wall 44 and fitting closely around the shaft 42 within the chamber 46 are two linings adapted to prevent sweating and the entrance of moisture from the chamber 22 to the chamber 46. Thefirst 51 is of sheet rubber, and the second.52 is of felt. moisture proof, the felt is a moisture arrester. By this means all clouding of the glass of the registering dial under severe weather conditions is prevented.

and may be removed through the opening and sealing device, whichdevice in addition to securing the parts in the meter firmly, is also adapted to form a seal which absolutely unauthorized person Without certain detec-- tion of the same. This clamping member is a collar 53 threaded to the casing at some, distance below its top by bastard threads 54 vofsuch pitch and of such form as to defy ready duplication in the commercial shops,

which shops are equipped only with standard. I i

and the' usual thread cutting tools. The upto form a shoulder 54*, which is adapted to clamp tightly down on the flange 49 and hold the parts in place. The flange 49 bears upon the wall 44, the wall 44 upon the bearmg member 20, t e member 20 upon the arms 17 of the member 14, the member 14 upon the seat member 18 and the seat member 18 upon the shoulder 19 formed integrally with the body casing. Between the wall 44 and the top of the casing is a lead gasket 44 which makes a fluid tight joint between the wall and the casing and constitutes a fluid seal of the meter. Between the sealing 'member 53 and the top of the casing 10 and preferably above the screw threads is an inclosed and unbreakable sealing mechanism. This mechanism'comprises a pawl 55- in a recess 56 in the top ofthe casing, and co-. operating ratchet teeth 57 formed on'the in terior of the collar 53. The pawl is so (lisl The rubber is I and shouldered as at 45 separates the cham- All of the parts of the meter are inserted I prevents tampering with the meter by an posed that the sealing member 53 may be removed by breaking it. i To assist in this breaking lugs 58 and 59 of goodly proportions are placed adjacent each other and adapted for insertion of a tool in the space 60 between them, whereby the collar may be broken at this point. The collar must be broken before it can be removed and before any of the parts of-the meter can be tampered with, and once broken, by reason of the odd nature of its threads, itcan only be duplicated by a very great amount of time and labor expended- The registering train can not be tampered with without certain detection, the glass, as shown, being seated within the casing member 47.

The operation of this meter of my invention should be apparent.

Upon the fiow of water through the inlet opening 11, the fioatirfg check valve constituted by the bottom of the rotor 15 is lifted from its seat 32 and water flows along the channels in the fixed 'mmber 14 at an angle to the channels in the rotary member 15. The member 15 rotates at a speed proportional to the quantity of water flowing therethrough. This'water finds its way out of the opening. 12, through chamber 12 surrounding the arm 17, passing from chamber 14 radially (see Fig. 10) and thus minimizing wear on pintle 36 and bearing 28.

If at any time attempt is made to reverse the meter connections and so drive the measuring devices backward and decrease the maximum registration, the rotor will not rise with the water flowing but will be pressed'to the seat- 32, and prevent the flow of water through the meter.

By virtue of the use of the one piece casing and the use of a single clamping, closing and sealing member, the meter is made at once simple, strong, and cheap. The closing member 53 holds all the parts in relative operating positions. 1,

\Vhile I have described the best form of my invention now known to me, it will be obvious that my invention may be given many other forms by those skilled in the.

art without departing from its generic spirit. I therefore desire to cover in the annexed claims all such modifications.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A meter comprising a check valve having aweight approximately equal to the weight of the water it displaces and arranged in the fluid passage way within the meter to prevent the flow of fluid throughthe meter in a direction opposite to normal. 2. A rotary flllld meter comprising a chambered casing, an open ended rotor chamber in said casing, a rotor in said chamber and of the shape of the chamber, the walls of said chamber being spirally fluted with open ended flutes, and the outer surface of said rotor being provided with open ended flutes at an angle to the flutes of the 'chamber walls, and registering devices geared to the rotor, said meter having an inlet opening at one end of the rotor, chamber, and an outlet opening at the other. X 3. A rotary fluid meter comprising a chambered casing, a rotor chamber in said casing, a rotor in said chamber, said rotor having a weightapproximately equal to the weight of the water it displaces. whereby v the rotor may be moved in the direction of flow of the fluid, said meter having inlet and outlet openings, the bottom of said rotor being constituted a valve and adapted to be operated to close one of said openings when it is attempted to make the direction of How of the fluid through the meter the reverse of normal.

4. A rotary meter comprising a cham bered casing, a movable measuring device in said casing, said measuring device having a weight approximately equal to the weight of the water it displaces, whereby said measuring device may be moved in the direction of flow of the fluid through the meter, bearings for said measuring device which permit said movement in addition to the measuring movement of the meter, said meter having inlet and outlet openings and a valve seat associated with the measuring device, said measuring device being adapted to engage said valve seat and to close one of said openings when it is attempted to make the direction of flow of the fluid through the meter the reverse ,of normal.

5. A meter comprising a one plece chambered body casing, a measuring chamber in said casing, a measuring device in said chamber, said casing body having a single opening in line with said chamber and through which the measuring device may be inserted and removed, and a sealing de-- vice for said opening, said sealing device comprislng a sealing member threaded to the casing by bastard threads, and an interior normally inaccessible inclosed sealing mechanlsm'bet-ween the sealing member and the casing.

6. A fluid meter comprising a body cas-' ing, a measuring device in said casing, said casing having inlet and outlet openings, and

an additional opening in said casing through which access may be had to the interior, and a seal for saidmpening comprising a sealing member threaded to the casing" by bastard threads, and an inclosed "lock between said sealing member and the casing. o

7. A fluid meter comprising a body casi ing, a measuring device in said casing, registering dials associated with said measuring device, Walls forming a separate dial chamber in which the dials are located, and 5 linings of moisture proof and moisture arresting materials combined and located between the chamber of the registering dials and the chamber of the measuring device and adapted to prevent the entrance of moisture to the'chamber of the registering 10 dials.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, THOMAS CHARLTON. Witnesses J. P. TAnnox, H. A.'ROBINETTE. 

